That came out looking good, I like them

 

nice fab work you must have access to a nice press break, but i agree with some of the other guys when they said they might hurt more than they protect. but overall they do look nice.

 

The pics I posted were just the mockup phase... There are actually 7 bolts per side in the rocker itself, and then of course the bolts attaching them to the Z plates. Again, these weren't intended to be a replacement for the cookie-cutter rock sliders everyone makes/sells, but rather some simple protection (ala TJ Rubicon) to help keep things tidy.

 

maybe i missed it but are they level? looks like they'll hold water and mud very well there close to the body. just something to consider.

looks good though.

 

They are open to the inside, so water can enter/exit freely... I may actually spray-foam the inside once they are final mounted, but I'm up in the air on that...

 

I like them too! the only thing i wonder about is if they are mounted to the thinner stock rockers wont that be the "give point" if they take a good smack? +1 though for some quality fab work i may rogue this idea for my own setup lol.

 

You'll want to seal them to the body. They way they are they will trap mud/water/SALT next to the rocker panel and rot it out a whole lot faster. Also, spray foam would be a bad idea. While it may help keep massive amounts of mud getting trapped in the guard, water and salt will still find their way in between the foam and metal and then the foam just hold it there and won't let it dry, not to mention making it a PITA to try and wash the salt out.

 

Great Point here. what about a removable end cap you can take off and spray or blow out from time to time?

 

This looks good, clean & thoughtful. I agree with some of the comments about whether it will create more damage in a time of stress. Whether or not it could bend into the rocker remains to be seen. I like to plan "up" for unforseen situations. When I had my 3/16th rails installed, I wasn't wheeling rocks - seemed like overkill then, but by now they have paid for themselves.

Also, like Northwoods said, I'd put a bead of silicone aroud the edges where they meet the rocker. Being down that low you're bound to get debris, gravel & stiff in there that will scratch the rocker & promote rust when water gets in. Hope you used stainless bolts - another weapon against rust. Or at least paint them. When I had the body plates added to my 1/4 panels we siliconed every hole PLUS used stainless bolts. Very nice job.

 

WOW an xj with clean rockers. Almost extinct in MI. Nice design but think the only way those would hold up is if rockers are clean. Seam sealer should be used not silicone and think about doing so around the rivinuts too. Dont want to see your rockers start rotting because of them.

 

I truly appreciate all the feedback and comments. But a couple responses to the common ones:


1.) I live in the PNW - we don't have rust, period. When I install them for the final time, I will use welting between the rocker and the flange of my sliders, just to keep paint rubbing and potential noise at bay. I've got rigs on the road that I've had for over 3 decades with the same plain jane GR-5 hardware holding various things on, and the holes and hardware still look good and have not structuraly degraded.

2.) I've been wheeling and fabing for 30+ years, and this is my 5th XJ. Pretty sure I've got a handle on what these will/won't stand up to, and for my intended purposes, they will be just fine. I agree with everyone that if the situation were to get real bad, these could potentially cause some damage where a typical slider may just make some noise. That said, I am still confident they will spare more than they cause

 

These are pretty sweet!! I would use a set on my 2000 overland rig. It rolls on 31's so these would be Bad azz. Great job man!!!

 

Fill them with foam, are you trying to make it float?
Those are awesome and seem more than adequate for what you intend to use them for.
You could also add some pockets deep enough for a high lift to grab down the road if they stay removable

 

I see you must not be by the coast then. That makes life much easier!

 

Nice Clean Fab.
A little too weak for the type of wheeling I do.
I routinely end up with all the jeeps weight on the rockers.
If you look in my rocker build thread you will see how far the original sheetmetal rockers were puched in.
I had 3/16" steel protection that was bent to follow the original rocker shape from the pinch weld.
Yours sticking out like that will add alot of leverage to that thin sheetwork.

Not trying to be a di@@, very nice for light wheeling.

Nitro